Gas-engine



(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 1. H. K. SHA'NOK.

GAS ENGINE. No. 439,200. Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

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GAS ENGINE. No. 439,200. Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

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HENRY K. SHANGK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

GAS- ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,200, dated October28, 1890.

Application filed August 22, 1889. Serial No. 321,587. (No model.)

To all whom, it nuoy concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY K. SHANOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, of whichthe following is a clear, full, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevationof my engine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, with the cylinderpartly shown in section. Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation showing thecylinder and tank in section. Fig. 4 is a front end elevation showingthe cylinder in transverse cross-section, and Fig. 5 is an enlargeddetail section.

My invention herein described and claimed is adevelopment andimprovement upon that class of gas-engines which is shown and de scribedin the Letters Patent Nos. 376,312 and 390,710, granted to me January10, 1888, and October 9, 1888, respectively.

The improvements relate to the various parts of the engine, ashereinafter described, and particularly to the mechanism for breakingthe electrical circuit, and thereby producing the igniting-sparks Withinthe cylinder; to the governing mechanism, and to such other parts of thedevice herein shown and described as are definitely pointed out in theclaims.

I will now proceed to describe the embodiment of my invention, which isshown in the drawings, and which is the best embodiment thereof nowknown to me.

The engine in the form shown is of the general type known assingle-acting engines, all the power being obtained from the explosionand consequent expansion of a gas behind the piston after it has begunits forward movement.

A represents the cylinder, which is supported upon a suitable frame. Asolid piston of any approved construction works in this cylinder, andits rod passes through a suitable stufiing-box in the forward head, andis connected by a connectingrod with the crankshaftB. For the productionof the explosive gas Irely, in common with others, on the use ofcompressed air, and by the construction herein shown I utilize the samecylinder and piston above referred to to compress the air and force itinto a receiver 0, which may be located at any convenient point, butwhich, for obvious reasons, I have placed beneath the cylinder and otherparts of the device, where it is supported within the base.

In the forward end of the cylinder A is a port closed by a commoncheck-valve, through which air is drawn into the cylinder when thepiston is moving backward, and this air is compressed and forced intothe receiver 0 through the valve-pipe 0 when the piston is forcedforward by the explosion behind it. A safety-valve c on the receiver 0provides for its relief when the pressure therein becomes too great.

In the rear end of the cylinder are the inletport a and the outlet-porta, through which the explosive mixture enters the cylinderand out ofwhich the exploded or dead gas escapes. Over the inlet-port is secured avalve D, of the form known as a puppet-valve, having stems by which itis guided in a path substantially parallel to the path of the piston.This valve is held firmly against its seat by the endwise pressure of arod E, which slides in guides on the engine-frame. This rod is movedback to seat said valve and hold it seated by the pressure against itsend of a revolving cam F on the crank-shaft B. A spring cl surrounds thestem of the valve D and thrusts endwise against the stuffing-box andagainst a collar secured to said stem. This spring therefore exerts aconstant pressure, which assists the gaseous pressure in the pipe K inopening said valve, and the endwise pressure of the valve-stem againstthe rod E holds said rod continually in engagement with itsoperating-cam F on the crank-shaft.

It is especially desirable that the valve D shall be firmly seated whenit is closed, so that by no chance may the gas outside the cylinder beignited. This result may be secured by an extremely fine adjustment orby having the rod E exert a strong spring-pressure. I secure this lastaction in the form shown in the drawings by flattening the rod E in somepart of its length, so that if it presses too hard it will bend alittle. The outlet-port is also provided with a similar valve G, aspring g closes it, and the pressure of gas in the cylinder holds itfirmly closed. A rod H, slidable in guides in the frame, is forcedagainst the valve-stem bya cam I on the crank-shaft, and thus opens thevalve.

The particular embodiment of my invention herein shown is designed tomanufacture its own gas from volatile hydrocarbon, such as gasoline. Itherefore provide a tank J for containing the liquid and support it bysuitable brackets on top of the cylinder. Asuitable valve-controlledduct L conveys the gasoline from the tank to the pipe K just outside theinlet-valve D. This pipe K is the pipe connecting the air-receiver Gwith the rear end of the cylinder, and is when the engine is inoperation unobstructed except by the valve D. A branch pipe 70 leadsfrom the pipe to the top of the tank J,.so that any tendency of the airto force the gasoline back through the ductL is counterbalanced by thepressure in the tank. In passing from the duct L into pipe K thegasoline passes through one or more thicknesses of fine wire-gauze, andbefore it passes the valve D it is compelled to pass. through othergauze, whereby it is mechanically disintegrated, thus insuring itscomplete volatilization.

In the ductL a globe or other suitable valve M provides means forcompletely shutting off the gasoline-supply. When this is opened and theengine is running, a needle-pointed valve, operated automatically by agovernor such as the ball-governor shown in the drawings-controls therapidity of the flow of gasoline. Below the governor is abox N, throughone wall of which a part of the duct L is formed. A pointed rod P isadapted to close the duct or to open it more or less as it is drawnbackward from its seat. The rear end of this rod is guided in itsmovement by a guidein the back end of the box. A rockshaft R isjournaled in the box N and one end thereof extends through its wall. Adepending forked arm straddles the rod P, and when the shaft is rocked,as hereinafter described, it presses against a shoulder 19 on the rod Pand draws the valve from its seat and permits more or less liquidgasoline to pass to the pipe K. A spring 7' exerts a constant pressureto close said valve.

An arm S is rigidly attached in a vertical position to the rock-shaft Routside the box, and a pin .9 extends at right angles from said arm nearits end, like a crank-handle. The governor-stem T is adapted to engageconstantly with the pin 8. In the edge of said stem are two notches tand t, in the firstof which the pin 3 rests when the engine is notrunning. too fast, the stem T is drawn upward until the pin 8 enters thelower notch t; When said pin 8 is in either of these notches, the spring4 closes the needle-valve and the supply of gasoline is cut ofi. It isnot pretended that this precise connecting mechanism between thevalve-stem T and the n eedle-pointed val verod P is the only form ofmechanism which will produce the described mode of operation;

When the engine gets to running but I consider the arrangement of therod within the box and the employment of the rock-shaft the better form,because there is less friction and less liability to get out of order,and also because any of the gasoline which happens to escape around thevalvestem will be caught in the box N, from which there is no chance forits escape. The gas in the cylinder is exploded by an electric. spark,which is caused to pass between the two separated ends of the wires 0 ewhich enter the rear end of the cylinder. I prefer to employsubstantially the same electrical apparatus which is described in mypatent, No. 390,710, but have made certain improvements in thecurrent-breaking mechanism whereby the spark is produced.

Attached to the frame and suitably insulated therefrom is a box W,holding oil or oil and water or any other suitable liquid.' In this boxis placed a plate Y, connected with one wire of the primary circuit.This plate has a beveled end y. A bell-crank lever X, suitably pivoted,has attached to its horizontal arm a spring Z, the lower end of which isadapted to engage with the beveled end y of the plate. This spring isattached to the other end of the wire of the primary circuit. Thevertical arm of this bell-crank is preferably covered with a raw hideand engages with an adjustable shoulder to on the rod U, which isslidable in suitable guides in the frame. A cam Q on the crank-shaftmoves the rod against the bell-crank-and causes it to rock, and therebybreak the circuit by separating the spring Z and plate Y. One springmoves the rod u in the contrarydirection and another spring rocks thebell-crank and causes the spring Z to engage with the beveled end of theplate Y, against which it rubs, and thus insures a complete electricalconnection between them. The points are preferably tipped with iridium.

The various parts of the engine act, as described, at the proper time toperform their various functions, substantially as follows: When thepiston has reached the extreme of its backward movement, the inlet-valveis opened and the compressed air rushes into the cylinder, carrying withit the volatilized gasoline, the two becoming thoroughly mixed as theypass through the gauze partitions and into the cylinder. When the pistonhas 'moved forward about thirty per cent. of its stroke, the inlet-valvecloses and instantly the electrical circuit is broken and the sparkignites the gas. When the piston is at the ex treme of the forwardmovement, the outlet- IIO valve is opened and remains open and theengine exhausts until the extreme of the backward movement is reached,when the outlet valve closes and the inlet-valve opens, andthlsdoperation is repeated as rapidly as desire Having thus described myinvention, what ,I claim as new, and desire to.secure by Let tersPatent, is

1. In a gas-engine, in combination, a cylinder having suitable inlet andoutlet ports, a puppet-valve movable in a parallel to the travel of thepiston for the inlet-port, a slidable spring-rod mounted in the frame, acam for moving said rod endwise against the valve-stem, and a spring formoving it in the opposite direction, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

2. In a gas-engine, in combination, a cylinder,means for introducing anexplosive mixture of gas therein, the wires entering said cylinder andhaving their ends separated for the passage of a spark, means forpassing a suitable electrical current through said wires, a receptaclecontaining a suitable liquid, a plate having a beveled end connected inthe primary circuit, immersed in said liquid, a spring connected withthe other wire of said circuit, and mechanism for moving said spring incontact with said bevel and for periodically separating them,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a gas-engine, in combination, a cylinder, means for introducing anexplosive mixture of gas therein, the wires extending into said cylinderand separated for the passage of a spark, means for passing a suitableelectric current through said wires, a receptacle containing a suitableliquid, a plate having a beveled end connected in the primary circuitand immersed in said liquid, a bell-crank lever having attached to itshorizontal arm a spring-rod which is connected with the other wires ofsaid circuit, a slidable rod having a shoulder which engages with theupright end of said bell-crank, a revolving cam, and a spring wherebyarubbing contact is produced between the end of said rod and the beveledend of the plate, which contact is periodically broken, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

4:. In a gas-engine, in combination, a cylinder having suitable ports, atank for containing the liquid from which the gas is evolved, a duct forconveying said liquid to a suitable point outside the inlet-port, aneedle-valve for closing said duct, a governor-stem having two notches,and suitable connections between the stem and needle-valve,whereby saidvalve is seated when the engine is at rest and again when running attoofast a speed, substantially as specified.

5. In a gas-engine, in combination, a cylinder having suitable ports, atank for containing the liquid from which the gas is evolved, a duct forconveying said liquid to a suitable point out-side the inlet-port, aneedle-valve adapted to close said duct, the gauze for volatilizing thegasoline, a box into which the rear end of the valve-rod extends, therockshaft, the two arms, the spring, the governor, and double-notchedgovernor-stem, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a gas-engine, in combination with a cylinder having suitableports, a tank for con taining the liquid from which the gas is evolved,a duct for conveying said liquid to a suitable point in relation to theinlet-port of said cylinder, a valve for closing said duct, a secondvalve in said duct in the form of a spring-actuated needle-valve, agovernor, and a governorstem, with suitable connecting mechanism betweensaid governor-stem and needle-valve, whereby said valve is automaticallymoved toward and from its seat as the governor is running too fast ortoo slow and is permitted to seat itself when the first-named valve isclosed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

HENRY K. SHANCK.

Witnesses:

W. J BAINBRIDGE, FRANK. MILLER.

